© Courtesy of Orphx

A flexible mix by Orphx connecting 32 powerful audio records.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 050” is a gradually evolving and flexible music selection that connects 32 earnestly crafted powerful and rationally noisy audio records by such prominent musicians as Mika Vainio, Byetone, Raime, Silent Servant, Black Rain, Muslimgauze, AFX and many more. It is a significant reflection of past and nowadays, exclusive musical discoveries that influenced the prolific sound of Orphx.

The authors of the mix are Richard Oddie and Christina Sealey, Canadian electronic music duo now residing in Ontario. Since the mid-1990s, Oddie and Sealey have been creating unique fusion of techno, industrial, and electro-acoustic music. Orphx has gained an international following as one of the pioneering acts within the European "rhythmic noise" scene. They have performed in numerous countries around the world, appearing alongside artists such as Alva Noto, Laurie Anderson, Monolake, Pan Sonic and many others. Orphx has released nine full length albums and numerous singles (CD, vinyl and cassette) on such respectable labels as Hands Productions, Sonic Groove, Hymen and others. Their most recent work further develops a dark hybrid of techno, dub and industrial that has garnered critical acclaim from many leading DJs of techno. Read full interview with Orphx for more facts about their music achievements, philosophy and future plans on our Secret Thirteen Interview section.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 050” is a dynamic and coherent mix of absolutely compelling releases from the last two decades. Thoughtfully prepared and professionally developed playlist connects different styles of music, ranging from experimental, ambient to techno, industrial and other original electronica. The basis of the mix stands on the skillfully programed moving rhythmics, sweeping enigmatic atmospheres and intricately sculpted diverse electronic instrumentation. Specific melodies, their looped fragments and frisky micro percussions are mostly used in the deeper background where performs an important role by forming rich and sometimes chaotic sounding surface. Part of the attention that is given to a progressively growing rhythmical textures and in different ways distorted, shaped its patterns frequently creates a distinctive fiction of overloading or peaking sound. Kaleidoscopic scale of various live music cuts, innovative modulations, delaying vocals and wisely device effects used in the selected records does not let to lose listening satisfaction over 90 minutes. It is also inspiring how a classic dance track can gain freshness and mobility after a deliberate change of its tempo. Accurately polished connections of every piece, excellent high-quality sound and precisely expanded emotional subject create a solid continuous wholeness that clearly demonstrates the longevous music production knowledge, scene experience and permanent progress of Orphx.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 050” is like a penetrating Wifredo Lam's cubistic drawing “Satan” where mysterious totem-like personages, part-animal and part-human, express an atmosphere of psychological analysis of confusion, life stagnation and witchcraft; their linear metamorphic forms, seen against monochrome backgrounds, are in the vigorous movement that fully hypnotizes and absolves every inquisitive observer.

Reveal Playlist

01 | Mika Vainio - Elvis's TV Room [Touch, 2012]
02 | Daniel Menche - Incineration (Part Two) [Soleilmoon Recordings, 1993]
03 | Daphne Oram - Pulse Persephone [Young Americans, 2011]
04 | Experimental Audio Research - Beyond the Pale [Big Cat UK Records, 1996]
05 | Conrad Schnitzler - Underwater Church [Spalax Music, 1992]
06 | The Infant Cycle - 4 AM Wallpaper (Part Five) [Doomsday Transmissions, 1995]
07 | :zoviet*france: - Not Just What To Say [Charrm, 1993]
08 | Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Their Helicopters' Sing [Constellation, 2012]
09 | Swans - A Piece Of the Sky (Part One)[Young God Records, 2012]
10 | Raime - Exist In The Repeat Of Practice [Blackest Ever Black, 2012]
11 | Daphne Oram - Episode Metallic [Young Americans, 2010]
12 | DSCRD - Maskinen [Stroboscopic Artefacts, 2012]
13 | Shackleton - Music For The Quiet Hour Part 1 [Woe To The Septic Heart!, 2012]
14 | Black Rain - Now I'm Just A Number [Blackest Ever Black, 2012]
15 | Muslimgauze - Mullah Said [Staalplaat, 2008]
16 | Diamond Version - Forever New Frontiers [Mute, 2012]
17 | Violetshaped - Delusory Parasitosis (Vatican Shadow remix) [Violet Poison, 2012]
18 | Ugandan Methods - Imperium [Boomkat Editions, 2012]
19 | Sendai - EP2010-4 [Time To Express, 2012]
20 | Pansonic - Uranokemia [Blast First, 1996]
21 | Byetone - Topas [Raster-Noton, 2011]
22 | Contact With A Curve - The Absurdity Of Consciousness (Part One) [Freedom In A Vacuum, 1994]
23 | Shackleton - Music For The Quiet Hour Part 4 [Woe To The Septic Heart!, 2012]
24 | The Hafler Trio - Masturbatorium [Touch, 1991]
25 | Perc - Work Softer (Orphx Remix) [Prosthetic Pressings, 2013]
26 | Silent Servant - Strange Attractor [Hospital Productions, 2012]
27 | Function - Variance (CH-Signal Edit) [Sandwell District, 2009]
28 | Maurizio - M7 [Maurizio, 1997]
29 | Spacetank - Membran [Shitkatapult, 2000]
30 | Teste - The Wipe (5am Synaptic) [Probe Records, 1992]
31 | The Aphex Twin - Isoprophlex [R & S Records, 1992]
32 | UR - The Final Frontier [Underground Resistance, 1991]